Joyful Moments in Christ

A Sunday School Lesson: Luke 16:19-31

A Sunday School Lesson: Luke 16:19-31: Listening to God and Loving Others

Listening to God and Loving Others

This Sunday School lesson is intended for upper elementary students. All lessons on this website are protected by copyright, but you can use them for free in small groups or Sunday School classes. You may share a link to this page, but please do not copy these pages and put them on other websites.

The Big Idea

Jesus teaches that our life on earth is short and we must listen to God’s word and care for others before it is too late.

Lesson Objectives

  1. Students will learn that the way we treat people reflects what is truly in our hearts.
  2. Students will understand that God’s word is sufficient to tell us everything we need to know about salvation.
  3. Students will recognize that there is a great reversal in the next life where the humble are comforted and the proud are judged.

Class Setting Notes

  1. Recommended for upper elementary Sunday School.
  2. Lesson length: 45 to 60 minutes. Can be shortened or extended based on activities selected.

Opening Activity: The Great Switch

  1. Give half of the students a small treat, a small toy/game, or a comfortable chair to sit in.
  2. Give the other half of the students a single piece of scrap paper or have them sit on the floor.
  3. Tell the students to enjoy what they have for exactly two minutes.
  4. When the time is up, blow a whistle and tell everyone to switch places and items completely.
  5. Ask the students how it felt to have plenty and then have nothing, or to have nothing and then be given plenty.

This activity helps introduce the theme of the story where the positions of the rich man and the poor man change completely after they die.

Bible Reading

Ask the class to read Luke 16:19-31 aloud together or have one person read it.

Additional Reading: Choosing the Right Bible Translation: A Comparison of 7 Versions

Suggested prompts:

As the class reads aloud, consider asking some of these prompts:

  1. Notice the difference between the rich man’s fine clothes and the sores on the body of Lazarus.
  2. Think about how many times the rich man must have walked past Lazarus at his gate without helping him.
  3. Watch what happens when the angels carry Lazarus away compared to how the rich man is buried.
  4. Pay attention to the fact that the rich man still tries to give orders to Lazarus even when they are in the next life.
  5. Listen for the names of the people Abraham says the five brothers should listen to if they want to be saved.

Teacher Background Notes

  1. Purple clothes were extremely expensive in Bible times because the dye was hard to make, showing the man was very wealthy.
  2. The name Lazarus means God has helped, which is interesting because he seemed to have no help on earth.
  3. In this passage, Abraham’s side or Abraham’s bosom is a way of describing the place of comfort in Heaven for those who trust God.
  4. Hades is the place where those who do not trust God wait for final judgment, and the fire shows the great suffering there.
  5. Abraham tells the rich man that his brothers have Moses and the prophets, which means they have the Bible to tell them how to live.

Theological Insights

  1. Wealth is not a sign that God is happy with someone, and poverty is not a sign that God is angry with them.
  2. After death, there is a fixed and final place for every person that cannot be changed.
  3. God has given us his word, the Bible, as the primary way he speaks to us about sin and salvation.
  4. True faith involves turning from sin and showing the love of Christ to those in need.
  5. The heart that refuses to believe the Bible will usually refuse to believe even if they see a miracle.

Discussion Questions

Understanding the Text

  1. What were the main differences between the rich man and Lazarus while they were alive?
  2. Who took Lazarus to be with Abraham after he died?
  3. Why did the rich man want Lazarus to visit his five brothers on earth?
  4. Why did Abraham say that a miracle would not be enough to change the hearts of the brothers?

Personal Reflection and Application

  1. Do you think the rich man knew Lazarus was at his gate? Why does that make his choice not to help even worse?
  2. Is there someone in your life or neighborhood who might feel like Lazarus, and how can you help them?
  3. Why is it important to read the Bible every day instead of waiting for a big sign from God?
  4. How does knowing that Heaven is real change the way you think about your life today?

Suggested Activities

The Warning Letter

  1. Give each student a piece of paper and a pencil.
  2. Tell them to imagine they are writing a letter to someone they love, explaining why it is important to listen to God.
  3. Ask them to include one verse or one truth from the Bible that helps them understand God’s love.

This activity helps students think about the urgency of the message the rich man wanted to send to his brothers.

Comfort and Pain Collage

  1. Provide magazines, scissors, and glue.
  2. Have students cut out pictures of things the world thinks are important and things that represent God’s comfort.
  3. Create a poster that shows how earthly things pass away while God’s comfort lasts forever.

This activity helps students visualize the contrast between temporary riches and eternal peace.

Bible Memory Scramble

  1. Write the words of the memory verse on separate cards or pieces of paper.
  2. Hide them around the room and have the students find them.
  3. Work together as a class to put the words in the correct order on the wall or a table.

This activity reinforces the importance of the specific words found in God’s word.

Memory Verse

This Bible verse image features Luke 16:31 (ESV): “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” A reminder that the heart’s response to God’s word is the foundation of faith, even beyond witnessing miracles.
He said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” – Luke 16:31 (ESV)

Closing Prayer

Father,
Thank you for giving us your word in the Bible to guide us. Help us to have hearts that love you and hands that are ready to help those who are in need.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

A Sunday School Lesson: Luke 16:19-31: Listening to God and Loving Others
This Bible verse image features Luke 16:31 (ESV): “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” A reminder that the heart’s response to God’s word is the foundation of faith, even beyond witnessing miracles.

The ESL Version

I also create materials for adult English Language Learners (ELLs) and ESL students. You can find my ELL Bible Study based on Luke 16:19-31 here:

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English Standard Version (ESV): Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

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